You have a valid point ... but discussing the corruption of, among other things, the Public Health Service, its organization age, its Commissioned Corps, and the uniform thereof has nothing to do with the present-day corruption of most government agencies.
I can understand that the titular head, the Surgeon GENERAL, would wear a uniform but I see no basis for an underling like the Assistant Secretary doing so. Especially since Levine never served in the regular military. Levine’s curriculum vitae and political appointment are Levine’s only qualifications.